Benson schools started two hours later Tuesday morning due to icy roads throughout western Minnesota. A freezing rain in the early morning hours coated streets, sidewalks, trees and power lines with ice as the temperatures hovered in the upper 20s.
After a very cold start to February, temperatures warmed into the upper 20s and lower 30s over the weekend and into the start of the week. However, the National Weather Service issued a Winter Weather Advisory for western Minnesota late Monday as a low pressure system moved in across the Dakotas, bringing rain, snow and ice along with strong winds.
Tuesday’s early morning freezing rain was supposed to be replaced by snow. Wednesday could see winds of 20 to 25 mph with gusts of 35 mph or more whipping the newly fallen snow around and reducing visibility on highways.
As the system moves through, temperatures are expected to drop to a minus 8 degrees by Wednesday night.